So She Dances
by sparklylulz
Summary: He wished he could form the words to say everything that his heart beat seemed to be screaming at her. She just wasn't listening properly to the words that it sang, the melody the same as the invisible song she was still spinning to. Alice/Hatter


**A/N: Ah, due to the exceptional response I got from my last Alice/Hatter fic, I had decided to do another. This one is more of the same, but a little longer, and again from Hatter's eyes. The song used is a personal favorite from Josh Groban titled, 'So She Dances.' I would recommend the live version. Enjoy :]**

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_**'so she dances'**_

'_A waltz when she walks in the room_

_She pulls back the hair from her face_

_She turns to the window to sway in the moonlight_

_Even her shadow has grace_'

He watched her, his eccentric eyes following her willowy form across the checkerboard floor. She was quite alone, and seemed quite happy with being so. She had always entranced him, even as the small girl he had met all those years ago, but now she was different. She had a fire in her eyes that took achieving womanhood to receive. His eyes could not tear away from the circles her body made across the dance floor. It did not matter to her that no one was in the room, nor did it matter that she might look mad. She never cared about madness, not once.

Her blond hair had managed to escape the pins she had used to hold it back from her pale face. He had always loved her hair, which was one of the few reason he had no desire to hat her. It was too beautiful, much too beautiful to be covered up by anything that his hands could make. Yes, she was always beautiful, and her fiery muchness made her matter that much more to him.

It was close to the part of the night when the moon would wake up, and it's light would become brighter. They had no time specified for this occurrence in Underland, as it could happen after supper, or tea, or perhaps when one felt the urge to take a nap. As he watched, her entire frame began to glow, almost like an angel was the one in the room, and not his dear old friend.

'_A waltz for the girl out of reach_

_She lifts her hands up to the sky_

_She moves with the music_

_The song is her lover_

_The melody's making her cry_'

She was always there, he constantly found himself thinking. She was always right there, and he never once could find it within him to reach out to her. Not since she had saved Underland from the Red Queen could he find himself reaching out to her. He didn't know what to say to her, she was so perfect in all the ways.

As she moved he noticed her hands were lifted above her, as if she was silently pleading with another being to show her what she was supposed to do. This action perplexed him, as did many other things. She was always the one with her head on straight, (he had apologized for that bad patch of magic to March Hare, mind you), and she always knew what to do with herself. That's what made her so bizarre to Underland. No one there ever knew what to do with themselves. She gave them purpose.

He was startled to see her swaying with the music, but as he observed her angel like face he noticed the wetness that appeared on her cheeks. She had once told him that where she was from that action was called 'crying' and not leaking. (He did not believe this, what sort of odd word was 'crying,' after all?) However, there were streaks of water running down her porcelain cheeks, and he wanted nothing more than to reach out and comfort her, but he couldn't move.

'_So she dances_

_In and out of the crowd like a glance_

_This romance is_

_From afar calling me silently_'

She was spinning more passionately than she had been previously, a determination set on her face. The shadowy corner that he had positioned himself in kept her from noticing that she was not alone in the large and open ball room.

She had returned to Underland some time ago, she had not said what made her return, and he knew much better than to press her for the truth. She seemed perfectly happy with everyone there to keep her company. Despite this, he always wondered if she did miss her first home, the place that she had been born into, but never truly had belonged to. It made him feel an uncomfortable sadness if he paused to think about it for too long.

He could feel her aura pulling at all parts of him, especially the small strings that connected and controlled his heart. They had been trying to pull them together ever since she had returned, which caused a whole other level of confusion to sneak up on him. He spent much time in the realm of confusion, especially when it came to the dancing girl in front of his very eyes.

'_A waltz for the chance I should take_

_But how will I know where to start?_

_She's spinning between constellations and dreams_

_Her rhythm is my beating heart_'

He knew what he wanted to do, sometimes he forgot, but he always seemed to remember in the end. However, he was much too cowardly to do such a thing. He had never once needed love before, he wasn't even sure if that was something he could feel. It certainly seemed that something connected him to her in some way. If only he wasn't mad, then he might be able to grasp what that certain thing might happen to be.

And even if he did feel it, what on earth could he say to her? For all he knew, she could have fallen in love before, and he was sure that he would pale in comparison to anyone else her heart should choose. There were no words to express what he felt as he stood watching her, and that was not fair to either person in the dark room.

It was like she had managed to store all the energy of the stars in her small frame. This was a surprising feat, as star energy was very hard to come across in Underland. She never tired of the waltz that seemed to reverberate in her petite body. It was quite surprising that anyone could spin like that for such a substantial amount of time. Even he could not Flabberwack for that long without needing a large drink of tea. It was almost as if he could see all her hopes and dreams fluttering around her, like dragon flies that refused to leave her side, and her beauty struck him yet again.

With a jolt he found himself keeping her rhythm. It was that of a heart beat, but not a weak heartbeat, a strong, pulsing beat that kept her in constant and rapid motion. He wished that she could feel his heart beat, because he was most certain that she would be an excellent dancer to it.

'_I can't keep on watching forever_

_I give up this view just to tell her_'

His green eyes were still watching her, and her closed eyes still seemed to be leaking. She had not uttered a word, and he knew that this moment would be broken soon enough. He could not bear the ide of this beautiful and intimate moment ever coming to a close, which was one of the things that held him back from reaching out to be next to her.

He wished he could form the words to say everything that his heart beat seemed to be screaming at her. She just wasn't listening properly to the words that it sang, the melody the same as the invisible song she was still spinning to.

'_When I close my eyes I can see_

_The spotlights are bright on you and me_

_We've got the floor_

_And you're in my arms_

_How could I ask for more?_'

It was a perfect picture in his rather off balance mind. He could simply walk over to her, and she could be in his arms, in a sea of people. They would all see her on his arm, and she would smile brightly to everyone as he pulled her close to him, his well made hat perched on his unruly mess of vibrant hair that she had always loved so much.

She would hum the rhythm of his very own heartbeat back to him, and he would sway with her, the light of the dozing moon, following the path that they would forge across the room, every other occupant of the room completely forgotten, and a small, familiar smile lacing her delicate and soft lips as they spun.

If that were to happen, and the image to become truth, everything would be his. He would never be able to hope for more than everything that she was. Her beautiful steps would keep in time with him, and he would whisper to her just how perfectly she truly was to him. Her words would mirror the same emotions, and they would both be absolutely content.

It was that picture that caused him to long for her in her arms, and it was that longing that propelled him to do something about that. He quickly straightened his hat, and tried to rally all the courage he could managed to find hidden within his person and left the comfort and safety of his hiding space to test the waters of uncertainty that lay beyond it.

'_So she dances_

_In and out of the crowd like a glance_

_This romance is_

_From afar calling me silently_

_I can't keep on watching forever_

_And I'm givin' up this view just to tell her_'

She was mid-step when she paused, hearing his soft footfalls approaching her from behind her. She snapped her immaculate eyes open to see who had found her, and she smiled gently when her eyes landed on him. Her face was still wet, with all the tears that she had found herself expelling as she had danced along to the beautiful and silent melody.

"Hatter, I didn't hear you come in." She said, no longer moving, looking at his expression curiously.

He moved towards her, and offered one hand for hers. He knew that she would be at a loss for what he was setting out to do. He was mad after all, and madness can never have a clear or certain path carved out before it.

"Don't stop dancing, Alice. It's very beautiful. I only wished to join." He said simply and she nodded, still looking at him curiously, but allowed him to spin with her, both hearing the unsung as before. The only difference was that now it seemed so much stronger.

"You've been leaking again." He said, his tone carried no judgmental tones, just a matter of fact air to it.

She blushed looking at him. "It was the melody, it was so beautiful it was breaking my heart." She knew that he could understand, as he always had been able to understand her, much more clearly than anyone else she had ever met.

"I get that feeling sometimes. It used to be when I made a particularly pretty hat," She giggled at this, "but now it only occurs when you're near to me." He admitted, and she looked up at him with wonder, the handsome features of his face showing.

"Why is that?" She asked, always full of questions for him. He paused to think over his answer, wanting her to know the full and honest reason of this.

"Because... I believe that in all my madness, I do love you dearly." He asserted gently, pushing a piece of hair out of her fair face. She began to smile at him before doing something very unexpected indeed. She leaned up to connect her lips with his in a move that he had never experienced.

When she pulled away they both had bright smiles on their faces. "Well, Hatter, if you weren't mad my heart would not love you nearly as much."

He laughed a little at this, the green of his eyes seemed to brighten, if that were even a possible occurrence.

"I am glad you chose to dance tonight, Alice." He said, honestly and she locked eyes with him in a fierce and passion filled gaze, and leaned forward against his neck.

"I'm glad that you chose to dance with me." She muttered softly into his ear.

And so they danced.


End file.
